Intonation in a list

The intonation goes up on the last strongly stressed word in each phrase, and then down at the end. Listen and repeat.
He bought a cup and some nuts.
He bought a cup, some nuts and some honey.
He bought a cup, some nuts, some honey and a brush.

Intonation of questions with 'or'

In questions with ‘or' the intonation usually goes down at the end. Practice reading
1. Would you like veal or beef?
2. Would you like coffee or tea?
3. Would you like coffee, tea or milk?

Intonation in statements

Intonation in statements usually goes down at the end.
e.g.: I went to America.

Intonation in WH questions

Intonation in WH questions (Who? What? W hy?When?Where?How?) usually goes down at  the end.
e.g.: How did you spend your holiday?

Notice that intonation in WH questions can change when we are talking about old information. The first time we ask somebody's name, we ask:

What's your name? This is new information.

But if we then forget the name and ask again, we ask: What's your name?
Because we are asking about old information that has already been given. Intonation goes up to show that this is something we have already shared.

Practice reading:

1Where's the fruit juice? (asking for new information)
2 Where's the fruit juice? (checking old information)
3 What's on the next floor? (asking for new information)
4 How do I get to the restaurant? (asking for new information)
5 How do I get to the restaurant? (checking old information)
6 Which floor are computers on? (checking old information)

Intonation in Yes/No questions

Intonation inYes/No questions usually goes up at the end.
e.g.: Was it expensive?

Pactice reading 

WH-question: How did you spend your holiday?
Statement: I went to America.
Yes/No question: Was it expensive?
Statement: Yes. Very.
No. Not very.

Intonation in Tag-questions

Intonation in tag-questions goes down. This means that the speaker expects agreement. So down tags are used a lot in conversations to create agreement and rapport between the speakers.
e.g.:

• He couldn’t cook, could he?
• She could play football, couldn't she?
• You wouldn't look, would you?
• They would like sugar, wouldn’t they?

Sometimes the intonation goes up. This means the speakers not sure if the information is correct and is asking the listener to check it. Before an up tag there is often a slight pause.
e.g.: A: The nurses were at work on Thursday, weren’t they?
       B:Yes,they were.

Intonation in exclamations

We often show the feeling of surprise in an exclamation where the intonation goes a long way up and then down.
e.g.: What a fast car!
What a funny dancer!
What a marvelous photograph!
What a fantastic guitar!

TASK: Describe today’s weather. Use the phrases given above as an example to follow.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

Intonation in suggestions and commands

Sometimes the intonation shows whether the speaker is more polite and friendly or less friendly.
Intonation goes down in the sentence, and this sounds as a command, less polite and friendly.

If the intonation goes up, it sounds more polite and friendly, it sounds as a suggestion.

Have a holiday, Mrs Bloggs. Have holiday, Mrs Bloggs.
Stop washing, MrWong. Stop washing, MrWong.
Don't drop that pot, Ms Morris. Don’t drop that pot, Ms Morris.
Put it on the box, Miss Johnson. Put it on the box, Miss Johnson.

TASK: Make up the phrase and tell it as a command and as a suggestion
___________________________________ ____________________________________

Intonation to show great surprise

We can show a feeling of surprise with an intonation that goes a long way up.
e.g.: Mr Short always plays football in the morning.
: In the morning?
: Mr Short?
: Football?
: Aways?

TASK: Express surprise about the part of the sentence in italics, like the example.

I I've put the ball in the drawer.
2 lt's too warm to go walking.
3 Georgia was looking gorgeous this morning.
4 Morgan has bought fifty-five folks,
5 I'm going to buy a horse.
6 You ought to get up at four in the morning.
7 I saw Orlando when I was in New York.
8 lt's your fault.

Intonation to show surprise

In a conversation we can show surprise by repeating the other person's words with the intonation going up.
EXAMPLES
A: I'm afraid you've made a mistake, sir. B: A mistake?
A: They changed the timetable. B: Changed it?
TASK: Write B's part in the conversation below by repeating the part in italics. Practice reading it with a proper intonation.
1 A: It's the eighth of May. B: the eighth?
2 A: Yes. It's Mrs Grey's birthday today. B:__________________?
3 A: Yes. She's eighty-eight. B:__________________?
4 A: Yes. And she's going away for a holiday B:__________________?
5 A: That's right. And she's going by plane. B:__________________?
6 A: Yes. She wants to go to Spain. B:__________________?
7 A: That's right. Why don't you go with her? B:_________________?

Stress and intonation

Stress and intonation are used to show feelings in English.

I No, he doesn't. ooOo OOOo
2 Yes, he does. ooO OOO
3 Now that's enough. oooO OOoO
4 I don't understand. ooooO OOOoO
5 Oh just shut up. oooO OOOO

Stress and intonation in highlighting word

We can make any word the most important one for the meaning of a sentence, and to make that word more strongly stressed than the other words. The meaning of the sentence changes slightly.
Listen to one of the questions from the dialogue said with five different meanings because each time a different word is given this stronger stress.

1 Did you use to live in York? (There are different opinions about this. What's the truth?)
2 Did you use to live in York? (I did. Or somebody else did. What about you?)
3 Did you use to live in York? (But not now)
4 Did you use to live in York? (But maybe you worked somewhere else)
5 Did you use to live in York? (Not some other city)

TASK: Read the following sentence changing your intonation each time you want to ask another information

He had a yellow jeep.

Intonation of ‘mm’ and its meanings

'Mm' has many meanings, depending on the intonation.

1 ‘Mm-mm’ means 'What did you say?'
2 ‘Mm’ means 'yes'
3 ‘Mmmmm’ means 'How nice!'
4 ‘Mmm’ ... means' I'm thinking about what to say'

TASK: Read this conversation and guess which intonation and meaning 'Mm' will have in B's answers.

A: Would you like some home-made muffins?
B: (l) Mm?
A: Would you like some muffins?
B: (2) Mm . . .
A: Well, make up your mind.
B: (3) Mm.
A: Here you are.
B: (eating) Mm!
A: l'm glad you like it hem. I made it myself. Would you like to try them with marmalade?
B: (5) Mm?
A: Marmalade. They're marvelous with marmalade. Would you like some?
B: (6) Mm.
A: Here you are.
B: (7) (eating) Mm!